Device for measuring rate of fluid flow



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DEVICE FOR MEASURING RATE OF FLUID FLOW Filsd Oct. 6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l swam-ms: Hm? alude Mid Wawar 17! 24W ATTQRNEY Jan 27 W4 8. H. LEHDE ET AL.

DEVICE FOR MEASURlNG RATE OF FLUID FLOW Filed Oct. gs, 1944 s Sheets-Sheet 2 mvwmm: Lehdfl and 1. Lung 27;, LEHQE ET AL ZAEEfi iE DEVICEFOR MEASURING RATE OF FLUID FLOW Filed Oct. 6, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 27, 1948 DEVICE FOR MEASURING RATE OF FLUID FLOW Henry Lehde and Walter T. Lang, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to Control Instrument Company, Inc.. Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 6, 1944, Serial No. 557,531

3 Claims. (Cl. 73-194) The present invention relates to improvements in speed measuring devices, and in particular to a type employed for the measurement of the velocity of a fluid which is an electrical conductor.

In the eneral organization of the device, the conducting fluid flows through a magnetic field, and by reason of its motion, an induced E. M, F. is set up in the fluid. This induced E. M. F. controls an indicating element to give a direct indication of the velocity of the fluid.

It is an object of the invention to produce an improved inductive speed indicator for conducting fluids which is simple in construction and operation, and wherein elim nation of electrical contact with the conducting medium in measurement of the induced voltage is obtained, thus avoidin all problems associated with the use of electrodes, such as contamination, clogging, temperature variations, polarization and the like.

A further object is to eliminate errors caused by changes in conductivity of the fluid, or by changes in the applied magnetic field, or in the supply voltage.

Still another object is to provide means for integration of the speed of the fluid, so that readings of distance or of fluid volume may be obtained, depending on the specific application of the invention.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the description, particularly in its application to the problems of measurin the speed and distance traveled by a ship in salt Water.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of expressions some of which, for purposes of illustration only, are shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig, 1 is a schematic diagram of the embodiment of the invention in its simplest form.

Fig. 2 illustrates another basic form of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a speed and distance measuring instrument for ships employing the arrangement illustrated in Fig, 1, and

Fig. 4 is a modification of Fig. 3, illustrating other means of adapting Fig. 1 to the measurement of speed and distance.

In Fig. 1, 1 indicates a streamlined housing of insulating material within which is located the coils I, 2 and 3 on the same magnetic axis. Coils I and 3 are energized in series by the A. C. generator I, and are connected so that their magnetic effects oppose each other. The resultant magnetic fleld is indicated by the circular paths shown linking with the coils. Coil 2 is placed midway between coils l and 3, and when properly positioned, no voltage will be induced in it by the combined inductive eflects of coils I and 3 since they balance each other. The housing 1 is centrally located within the tube 5, and the conducting fluid flows through the tube around the housing I in the direction shown by the large arrows 6. Wherever the magnetic lines of force enter r leave the surface of the housing I and have a component at right angles to the flow of the fluid, an induced voltage will be set up in the fluid, because it constitutes a conductor cutting a magnetic fleld. The magnitude of the voltage will depend upon the speed of the fluid and the flux density. This voltage causes current to flow in a circumferential direction around the housing. The magnetic effects of this current will be added to those flowing in coils l and 3, the overall effect bein to slightly displace the entire magnetic fleld in the direction of fluid flow. The fluid, in eiTect, tends to drag the magnetic fleld a ong with it, the fleld displacement being roportioned to the fluid speed and conductivity. The resultant voltage induced in coil 2 will be directly proportional to the speed, and is measured by the voltmeter V.

Fig. 2 is an alternative arrangement of coils which can be used to measure the rate of flow of a conducting fluid. The rectangular fleld coils 9 and III, which comprise loops that are parallel to the plane of the sheet as shown in Fig. 2 and which are connected in series but not in opposition, are located on the same axis, and are energized by the A. C. generator 4. The conducting fluid flows through the rectangular tubes I3 and H, which are placed in the magnetic fleld between the fleld coils 9 and III and are of nonconducting material. The search coils H and i2 are connected in series opposition and are placed side by side between tubes l3 and I4 and positioned so that they generate equal and opposite A. C. voltages, when the conducting fluid is not flowing. When the conducting fluid flows through the magnetic fleld, it constitutes a moving conductor and causes an E. M. F. to be generated in a direction mutually perpendicular to the magnetic field and to the direction of flow. This causes a current to flow in the same direction in the region within the influence oi the magnetic field and the return path for this current takes place outside of the magnetic field. The result is equivalent to two closed current loops, as shown in Fig. 2. The current of loop 3 I 8 will oppose the main magnetic field, while that due to loop 14 will aid the magnetic field. As in Fig. 1, the net effect is that the fiuid fiow tends to drag. th magnetic field along with it. The resulting displacement causes an unbalance voltage to be generated by coils ii and i2, which is a measure of the fluid speed.

In either of these arrangements used to measure fiuid speed, the readings of the voltmeter V will be subject to errors caused by changes in the magnetic field strength of the field coils and by changes in the conductivity of the fluid. The voltmeter readings are proportional to these factors also. The arrangement illustrated in Fig. 3 may be employed to eliminate these errors.

In Fig. 3, the streamlined housing I1 is attached to a vessel so that motion of the vessel through salt water will cause a practically unobstructed fiow of water along the housing (as shown by the arrows). The coils l8, I8, 28, 2| and 22 are located within the housing i1. The field coils l8, 2|! and 22 are connected in series and are energized by the A, C. generator 4. Adjacent coils of this group are connected to magnetically oppose each other. Search coils l8 and 2i are connected in series, and are positioned so that they normally pick up no voltage from the field coils. Any number of similar coils can be added to this arrangement to increase the sensitivity. An exact balance for reducing the search coil voltage to zero may be easily obtained by adjustment of the resistance 24 and condenser 22 across coil 22, and by adjustment of resistance generator 4. The motor 22 drives a gear 24,

28 and condenser 25 across coil l2. This is employed to adjust the relative magnitudes and phase relations between the field coils to obtain complete balance, and is more satisfactory than attempting to move the search coils with respect to the field coils.

After the proper adjustment has been made, and conducting sea water fiows past the housing 11, the flow displaces the magnetic field produced by the field coils, and as described, will produce a voltage proportional to the speed of flow. This voltage is accurately measured by an automatic potentiometer to indicate the speed of the ship. and integrated by an electrical device to give distance in the following manner.

The salinity cell, indicated generally at 21, produces a voltage proportional to the conductivity of the sea water, which depends upon the temperature and the salt concentration of the water. The field coils 21 and 28 are connected in series opposition and are energized by the A. C. generator 4. The search coil 28 is positioned between coils 21 and 28 so that it will pick up no induced voltage when the cell assembly 21 has no conducting material in its immediate vicinity.

However, if sea water 44 is allowed to surround coil 28 and not coil 21, the eddy currents induced in the sea water around coil 28 will reduce its effective field strength. Thus. an unbalance will be produced in coil 28, and the induced voltage will be proportional to the conductivity of the sea water and to the voltage impressed on the coils 21 and 28. The voltage produced by coil 28 is impressed on the resistance 28. A variable portion of this voltage, controlled by the position of the eontactarm 2| on the resistance 22 is placed in series opposition to the voltage produced by the search coils l9 and 2|. Any unbalance in these voltages is applied to the amplifier 22. The amplified unbalance is led to one phase of the reversible two phase motor 22. The other phase is permanently energized by the A, C.

which, in turn, drives the gear 28 to which is attached the adjustable contact arm 2|. Connections are made so that the motor will run in a direction to reduce the unbalance to zero. The contact arm position, and therefore the voltage or speed are indicated by the dial 42, which is geared to motor 22. An electrical transmitter 42 may be employed to transmit values of speed to various locations on the ship.

The voltage induced in coil 28 will be proportioned to the conductivity of the sea water, and to the voltage of the A. C. generator 4. As the voltage produced by coils i8 and 2| is proportional to these factors and also to the rate of fiow of the sea water around housing l1, the potentiometer comprising resistance 28 and contact arm 2| will produce a reading which depends only on the speed.

The cam 28 is driven by the motor 22 through the reduction gears 21 and 28. This cam serves to control the frequency of a vacuum tube oscillator 28, so that its frequency is proportional to the speed of the ship. Consequently, the number of oscillations produced will be equal to the time integral of the speed. or the distance. This is registered by the synchronous motor 48 which is employed to drive the counter 4| to indicate distance.

It will be evident that if the housing l1 is placed within a tube through which a conducting fiuid fiows, as in Fig. l, the dial 42 will indicate the speed of fiow, while the counter 4| will indicate the volume and can be used as a fiuid meter.

Fig. 4 illustrates an alternative system of obtaining ship's speed and distance traveled. The coils I8, 28 and 22 are energized by the A. C. generator 4, as described with re!erence to Fig. 3. Condensers 22 and 28, and resistances 24 and 28, are similarly used to balance the voltages produced by coils i8 and 2|.

The salinity cell 48 is placed in the sea water and is connected in series with the resistance 28 across the A. C. generator 4. If the resistance 28 is low in comparison with the resistance of the salinity cell, the current in this circuit will be substantially proportional to the conductivity of the sea water an to the voltage of generator 4.

The voltage gene ated in coils l8 and 2| is connected in series opposition to a portion of the voltage drop across \resistance 28, controlled by the position of the contact arm 2| Any unbalance in these voltages is applied to the input of the amplifier 22 which operates the reversible two phase motor 22 to automatically balance the voltage, as described with reference to Fig, 3. The dial 42 is geared to the motor 22 through the shaft 82 to indicate speed. The lead screw 48 is driven by the shaft 82 to move the traveling nut 41. This positions the wheel 48 over the disk 48. which is geared to the constant speed motor 88. A splined shaft 52 is driven by the wheel 48, and rotates the counter II. If the wheel 48 is positioned so that its distance from the center of rotation of the disk 48 is proportional to the densers 23 and 25.

across the cell 45 varies in accordance with the cell conductivity and with the supply voltage, and as in Fig. 3, these factors will not aflfect the potentiometer balance.

In the design of the magnetic coil arrangement, it is desirable to employ a large number of turns of wire in the search coils l9 and 2| to increase the voltage sensitivity. Careful electrostatic shielding of the coils should be employed and the coil spacing must be maintainedwith a, high degree of accuracy. It is therefore desirable to pay considerable attention to temperatur: *xpansion and to the selection of the materials employed in constructing the supporting structure for the coils. While a uniform overall expansion of the coil assembly should not disturb the coil adjustment, any expansion of an asymmetrical nature or a non-uniform dissipation of the heat generated in the field coils will cause dimensional hanges that may produce avoltage unbalance.

However, should such voltage unbalances occur and cause an error in the indicated ship speed, the apparatus can be readjusted by means of the shunt resistances 24 and 26 and the shunt con- When the fluid fiow has ceased, or is at right angles to the housing l1, these shunts may be adjusted to reduce the unbalanced voltage to zero.

Reversal of the fluid flow will reverse the polarity of the induced voltage which will then be added with an opposite sign to any spurious voltage unbalance that may be present. This also provides a means or readjustment. The averaging of indications taken with the housing H in the normal and in the reversed position will also give the true speed regardless of spurious unbalanced voltages, provided the phase relationships of the voltages are considered.

Other magnetic coil arrangements may be used to create a magnetic field which is displaced by the flow of a conducting fluid. Various devices and circuits well known to the art of magnetic and electrical measurements may be employed to detect such displacement of a. magnetic field. The scope of the invention is, therefore, not to be limited except as indicated by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An instrument for measuring the flow of a conducting fluid, comprising means to create a magnetic field, means for causing said fluid to flow through said field, opposed search coils associated with said field, and means for measuring the unbalance voltage produced in said search coils by said flow.

2. An instrument for measuring the flow of a conducting fluid, comprising means to create opposed magnetic fields through which said fluid is adapted to flow, a search coil system associated with said fields having a voltage induced in response to the flow of fiuid through said fields, means connected to said system to compensate for variations in said induced voltage due to changes in the conductivity of said fluid, and means to measure said compensated induced voltage.

3. An instrument for measuring the flow of a conducting fluid, comprising means to create opposed magnetic fields through which said fiuid is adapted to flow, a search coil system associated with said fields having a voltage induced in response to the flow of fluid through said fields, means connected to said system including a salinity cell and a variable resistance coupled to said system for compensating for variations in said induced voltage due to changes in the conductivity of said fluid, and means to measure said compensated induced voltage.

HENRY LEHDE.

WALTER '1. LANG.

REFERENCES CITED The following-references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,992,100 Stein Feb. 19, 1935 1,249,530 *Smith et al. Dec. 11, 191'! 2,149,847 Kolin Mar. 7, 1939 2,220,070 Aiken Nov. 5, 1940 

